1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of memories and in particular to dynamic random access memories (DRAM).
2. Description of the Related Art
DRAM memories are very popular because of the great storage capacity that they offer. On the other hand, they need periodic cooling and, moreover, they are much slower to access than static memories.
Increasing the bandwidth of dynamic memories has already been attempted. To this end, a known technique consists in associating registers or storages controlled by means of an adapted storage controller, to the memory plane buffer.
The French patent application entitled <<Procédé de commande de mémoire DRAM rapide et contrôleur adapté>> by M. HARRAND filed on Nov. 19, 1999 (application No 99 14610 and published under No 2 801 388) describes a method and a storage controller to control a dynamic memory comprising a memory plane made up of a network of memory cells and at least two buffer registers.
The French patent application entitled <<Mémoire DRAM rapide>> by M. HARRAND and D. DOISE, filed on Dec. 7, 1999 (application No 99 15435 and published under No 2 802 012) describes a structure of fast DRAM memory comprising a memory plane associated with at least two buffer registers for accessing to the memory plane and allowing memory read and write.
Although using buffer memories makes it possible to significantly increase the bandwidth of dynamic memories, it is still limited and much narrower than that of static memories. In spite of the improvements already made, increasing the bandwidth of dynamic memories is still a current concern.
This constitutes a first technical issue.
Moreover, it would be desirable to integrate an error correcting system into such dynamic memories, a system that, if possible, limits as much as possible the surface of silicon allocated to correcting mechanism.
This constitutes a second technical issue.
Lastly, improving the reliability of dynamic memories is another problem that is added to the preceding ones. Because of their huge success, dynamic memories tend to develop in a considerable way. Burn-in processes, and in particular those carried out by heating effect, are very effective to accelerate the ageing of these components, and to identify those that will prematurely break down. These processes are very expensive to implement for it is necessary to carry out package and temperature tests after burn-in for the principal defects (carrying time) are visible only with high temperature; however, the carriers of some packages (and not packages themselves) deteriorate when heated, which requires to frequently change the card used for this test.
It would be desirable to have an alternative technique to burn-in making it possible to remedy to the flaws of young dynamic memory components.